Simulation and experimental verification of ambient neutron doses in a pencil beam scanning proton therapy room as a function of treatment plan parameters

0564998 - ÚJF 2023 RIV CH eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Van Hoey, O. - Stolarczyk, L. - Lillhök, J. - Eliasson, L. - Mojzeszek, N. - Liszka, M. - Alkhiat, A. - Mares, V. - Trompier, F. - Trinkl, S. - Martinez-Rovira, I. - Romero-Exposito, M. - Domingo, C. - Ploc, Ondřej - Harrison, R. - Olko, P.
Simulation and experimental verification of ambient neutron doses in a pencil beam scanning proton therapy room as a function of treatment plan parameters.
Frontiers in Oncology. Roč. 12, SEP (2022), č. článku 903537. ISSN 2234-943X. E-ISSN 2234-943X
Grant CEP: GA MŠMT EF15_003/0000481
Institucionální podpora: RVO:61389005
Klíčová slova: Proton therapy * Pencil beam scanned proton therapy * Neutron doses * Monte Carlo simulations * Out-of-field neutron doses in radiation therapy * Neutron measurements
Obor OECD: Radiology, nuclear medicine and medical imaging
Impakt faktor: 4.7, rok: 2022
Způsob publikování: Open access
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.903537

Out-of-field patient doses in proton therapy are dominated by neutrons. Currently, they are not taken into account by treatment planning systems. There is an increasing need to include out-of-field doses in the dose calculation, especially when treating children, pregnant patients, and patients with implants. In response to this demand, this work presents the first steps towards a tool for the prediction of out-of-field neutron doses in pencil beam scanning proton therapy facilities. As a first step, a general Monte Carlo radiation transport model for simulation of out-of-field neutron doses was set up and successfully verified by comparison of simulated and measured ambient neutron dose equivalent and neutron fluence energy spectra around a solid water phantom irradiated with a variation of different treatment plan parameters. Simulations with the verified model enabled a detailed study of the variation of the neutron ambient dose equivalent with field size, range, modulation width, use of a range shifter, and position inside the treatment room. For future work, it is planned to use this verified model to simulate out-of-field neutron doses inside the phantom and to verify the simulation results by comparison with previous in-phantom measurement campaigns. Eventually, these verified simulations will be used to build a library and a corresponding tool to allow assessment of out-of-field neutron doses at pencil beam scanning proton therapy facilities.
Trvalý link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0336565